Padded grate drainage system for water rides

ABSTRACT

A padded grating system comprising sheets of multiple composite members secured together with multiple support bars or battens, wherein each composite member preferably consists of an elongated rigid bar with a foam layer adhered thereto which are encapsulated by a PVC or plastic water impervious tube or sleeve that has been heated and shrunk thereon. The sheets are specifically designed to be used in connection with water rides such as the FlowRider® and can be modularly installed on site to cover certain drainage areas. The composite members are preferably made by gluing the rigid bars onto a sheet of foam and cutting the foam sheet to form the composite members, and after the tube or sleeve has been heat shrunk around each one, the ends of the composite members are then cut and sealed.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/804,038, filed Mar. 21, 2013, which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Water ride attractions have become popular in water theme parks andother entertainment facilities throughout the country. Some of thesewater ride attractions comprise a ride surface having a sheet flow ofwater thereon designed to allow participants to ride on the flowing bodyof water, and therefore, for the safety of the participants, theyrequire the ride surface to be provided with adequate surface padding.And to enable the water flowing on the ride surface to be easilypropelled thereon, such as from front to the back, and easily drainedtherefrom, such as along the back, it is desirable for the ride surfaceto have a means for draining water from the ride surface. This not onlyhelps facilitate the development of the proper sheet flow and clearanceof water from the ride surface, but it also helps enable theparticipants riding on the ride surface to properly enter and safelyexit from the ride surface when needed.

For this purpose, many such water ride attractions have previouslyincorporated the use of conventional industrial grating or a combinationof industrial grating with a layer of PVC matting attached thereon withopen spaces between them to allow water to drain through, such as into astorage tank below. An example of this type of drainage system is onethat has been used in connection with Applicant's previous water rideattraction known as the FlowRider®. The FlowRider® is essentially astationary wave generating machine that has a resilient inclined ridesurface on which a sheet flow of water is propelled relatively upwardthereon. The rider who participates is able to use the upward force ofthe flowing body of water, on one hand, along with the downward force ofgravity, on the other hand, to reach an equilibrium point, wherein it isdesirable for the participants to be able to safely enter onto the ridesurface and exit therefrom, such as near the front or back,respectively. Accordingly, it was desirable to furnish a floor supportsystem that helps not only support the flowing body of water on the ridesurface, but also allows the flowing body of water to be drained fromthe ride surface and into the storage tank below.

It should be noted that a drainage system near the front close to wherethe nozzles that propel the water onto the ride surface are located isdesired so that water does not build up as it is being injected onto theride surface. The front drainage system preferably safely supports theparticipants as they enter onto the water ride from the front. Likewise,it is desirable to have a drainage system near or along the back, tosupport any participant that may fall and be swept toward the back, andto allow water flowing on the ride surface to be drained into a tank andrecirculated back toward the front nozzles.

One problem with the above mentioned drainage system is that when thegrating with the matting thereon continued to be unevenly loaded duringoperation, the matting tended to tear or loosen from the grating, andthese tears would either take place along the seams due to weak weldjoints or along the upper and lower layers where the matting wouldeventually come apart. And unfortunately, when these problems occurred,the grating was not reparable and therefore the attraction became unsafeto operate as well as costly and time consuming to replace.

An additional problem with the previous design is that the mattingrequired a predetermined mold to be used, which ended up limiting thesize (width and length) that the matting could come in, which can be aproblem especially because the production is often outsourced to outsidefabricators. This often resulted in having to put together a patch-workof pieces and associated seams where multiple pieces of matting had tobe joined together, which resulted in weak joints containingdiscontinuities and potential scratch hazards, such as in the event aparticipant slides over the joint, etc.

Because of these problems, a need has arisen to develop an improveddrainage system design for water rides such as the FlowRider®.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The current invention represents an improvement over prior water ridedrainage systems in the manner in which it is formed, constructed andinstalled, and helps to avoid the problems mentioned above.

The present system preferably comprises sheets of composite members thatare secured together with at least two support bars to form a monolithicsheet of composite members that can be used as a drainage system forwater rides such as the FlowRider®. In particular, each composite memberis formed using multiple rigid bars (such as made of fiberglass orstainless steel, etc.) adhered to a layer of foam padding on one sidethereof (such as with urethane adhesive, etc.), wherein each compositemember is encapsulated in a PVC or plastic shrink wrap material (such asa tube or sleeve) that helps to make each water impervious. Thecompleted composite members are secured with screws to the support bars(such as made of stainless steel, etc.) to help form a single monolithicsheet of composite members, wherein the composite members are extendedsubstantially parallel to each other and spaced a predetermined distanceapart from each other and are cut to a predetermined length and size.The ends of the composite members are preferably sealed with a sealant,like rubber, to prevent water penetration, etc.

Each sheet of composite members is preferably anywhere from eight totwelve feet in length, although any length or width is possible. Thepreferred sheets can be prefabricated to the appropriate length andwidth, or custom cut on site, which makes them easy to adapt and fitinto the desired shape, such as in any existing or new water ride, etc.On site, the sheets of composite members are preferably used modularlyand positioned and secured to the water ride surface with the paddedside facing up and the rigid side facing down, wherein the compositemembers are preferably fastened to additional support members located onthe ride surface using screws and connected into place. The encapsulatedcomposite members are preferably relatively narrow in width, such asanywhere from 10.0 mm to 100.0 mm in width, but sufficiently thickenough to support the weight of the water and participants riding on thewater ride. The composite members are preferably spaced apart with a gapof no more than about 8.0 mm between them, which helps to preventfingers and toes from getting caught, while at the same time, allowingwater to drain through. The support bars are preferably placed center tocenter (such as 24″ apart) to prevent the composite members fromdeflecting and the gaps from widening during operation. The compositemember ends are preferably covered with a liquid sealant, or capped witha molded shrink cap, as desired.

The encapsulated composite members and sheets of composite members arepreferably constructed using the following method:

The first step comprises forming multiple rigid bars such as made offiberglass or stainless steel that are elongated and have asubstantially rectangular cross section and that have a predeterminedlength.

The second step comprises gluing the rigid bars onto a sheet of foamusing an adhesive such as urethane spread over the sheet. The rigid barsare preferably positioned onto the sheet substantially parallel to eachother, side by side, with little or no space between them, wherein theadhesive is allowed to dry to bond the rigid bars to the foam.

The third step comprises trimming off any excess foam from the edges ofthe sheets beyond where the rigid bars are attached.

The fourth step comprises using a sharp blade to cut the sheet of foamin between the rigid bars and separating the rigid bars from the sheetand each other to form the composite members. Each composite member thenformed comprises a rigid bar on one side and a layer of foam adheredthereto on the other side.

The fifth step comprises sliding each composite member into a waterimpervious tube or sleeve such as made of plastic or PVC.

The sixth step comprises passing the composite member with the tube orsleeve around it through an oven or other heated space to melt orotherwise shrink wrap the tube or sleeve around the composite member toeffectively seal the PVC or plastic around them.

The seventh step comprises securing the encapsulated composite membersto at least two support bars to create a monolithic sheet of compositemembers using screws that extend from the support bars and into thecomposite members. Preferably, a jig with spaces is used to help line upthe composite members such that they are spaced with a predetermineddistance between them and extended substantially parallel to each other.

The eighth step comprises cutting or trimming the ends of each compositemember to remove any excess PVC or plastic material and to form themonolithic sheets having a predetermined size and length.

The ninth step comprises turning the completed sheets of compositemembers on their ends, i.e., vertically, and dipping the ends into aliquid sealant to seal the ends thereof. Alternatively, molded caps canbe provided and secured to the ends to seal the ends thereof.

Other aspects of the invention will become evident from reviewing thisspecification and the associated drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single monolithic sheet of compositemembers made according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the monolithic sheet of composite membersshown in FIG. 1, along with an end view at the bottom;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the monolithic sheet of composite membersshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail section view taken through A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detail of the area D shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows the first step of the method of making the monolithic sheetof composite members, wherein the first step comprises applying anadhesive onto a sheet of foam and adhering multiple rigid bars onto thesheet of foam;

FIG. 7 shows the completed sheet of foam with multiple rigid barsadhered thereto before the ends are cut or trimmed;

FIG. 8 shows the completed sheet of foam with multiple rigid barsadhered thereto after the ends have been cut or trimmed;

FIG. 9 shows the next step where the sheet of foam is being cut inbetween each composite member shown in FIG. 1 and each composite memberis removed from the sheet of foam;

FIG. 9A shows that it is important to make the cuts specified above inconnection with FIG. 9 at right angles relative to the sheet of foam aswell as that the rigid bars are placed adjacent to each other with verylittle or no space between them, which avoids wasting foam and having totrim excess foam from each one;

FIG. 10 shows the composite member with the rigid bar on one side andthe layer of foam padding on the other;

FIG. 11 shows the next step of sliding the composite member into a tubeor sleeve made of plastic or PVC;

FIG. 12 shows the composite member after it has been inserted into thetube or sleeve of the PVC or plastic;

FIG. 13 shows the next step of extending the composite member with thetube or sleeve of PVC or plastic around it through an oven or other heatsource to shrink wrap the plastic or PVC around the composite member;

FIG. 14 shows the completed composite member after it has beenencapsulated inside the tube or sleeve of PVC or plastic and after thetube or sleeve of PVC or plastic has been heated and shrink wrappedaround the composite member;

FIG. 15 shows the next step of placing multiple composite memberstogether side by side in a substantially parallel manner using the jigshown in FIG. 15A, wherein predetermined spaces are provided on the jigto enable the composite members to be properly oriented and positionedwith a predetermined space between each one;

FIG. 15A shows the jig that is used to help orient and position thecomposite members into sheets, such that they are positioned in asubstantially parallel manner with a predetermined space between eachone—note that the rigid bar is facing up and the padded surface isfacing down while the composite members are positioned on the jig;

FIG. 16 shows the bottom side of the sheet of composite members with atleast two support bars, in this case three, fastened to the underside ofthe sheet of composite members, wherein multiple composite members arepositioned substantially parallel to each other and secured in placewith a predetermined space between each one—an end view of the samesheet is provided at the bottom of this figure;

FIG. 16A is a detail view of the area A shown in FIG. 16, showing thejig with the composite members positioned therein, wherein the supportbars are positioned thereon;

FIG. 17 shows the sheet of composite members upside down with thesupport bars screwed into the bottom of each composite member to holdand orient the composite members in place;

FIG. 18 shows the next step of using screws to fasten the support barsto the bottom of the composite members, with the jig helping to orientand position the composite members substantially parallel to each other,with a predetermined space between each one;

FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the sheet of composite members showing thesupport bars secured to the bottom of the composite members;

FIG. 19A is a section view taken through area D-D shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 20 is a bottom view showing the completed sheet of compositemembers that has been trimmed or cut to the appropriate length;

FIG. 21 shows how the completed sheet of composite members can be turnedon its end and dipped into a liquid sealant to seal the ends thereof;

FIG. 21A shows the sheet of composite members standing vertically withthe ends of the composite members being dipped into a liquid sealant;

FIG. 22 is an end view showing how the sheets of composite members canbe stored in a crate, where the preferred arrangement is for the sheetsto be positioned vertically, side by side, so as not to put too muchweight or pressure on the padded sides of the composite members;

FIG. 23 shows a crate with sheets of composite members positionedsubstantially vertically inside;

FIG. 24 is a cross section view of a typical single composite memberwith its rigid side facing down and the padded side facing up, with thetube or sleeve of PVC or plastic surrounding it, before it has beenshrink wrapped;

FIG. 25 is a cross section view of a typical single composite memberwith its rigid side facing down and the padded side facing up, with thetube or sleeve of PVC or plastic surrounding it after it has been shrinkwrapped;

FIG. 26 is a drawing showing a FlowRider® with drainage areas on thefront and back end of the water ride surface; and

FIG. 27 is a photograph showing a FlowRider® being used with drainageareas on the front and back end of the water ride surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a single monolithic sheet 1 of encapsulated compositemembers 3 made according to the present invention wherein multipleencapsulated composite members 3 are positioned side by side,substantially parallel to each other, with a slight gap 6 in betweeneach one, wherein the gap 6 is preferably no more than about 8.0 mm inwidth, which is small enough to prevent fingers and toes from gettingcaught in between them, while at the same time, large enough to allowwater to pass through. As shown in FIG. 2, multiple support bars orbattens 5, such as made of stainless steel, are preferably extendedacross the bottom side perpendicular to the longitudinal direction ofcomposite members 3 and used to secure composite members 3 to createmonolithic sheet 1. Preferably, stainless steel screws 7 are used andextended through support bars or battens 5 and into composite members 3to secure them together, although any suitable connection can be used.The number and spacing of the support bars or battens 5 can varydepending on the length of the composite members 3 and the size of theoverall monolithic sheet 1. Each monolithic sheet 1 is preferablyanywhere from one meter to six meters in length, although virtually anysize is possible, wherein the width and length can vary depending on thesize of the drainage area and ride surface that is being installed. Thewidth also varies depending on the number of composite members 3 thatare used in each sheet 1.

Preferably, each composite member 3 is constructed as follows:

First, to provide rigidity and support, composite member 3 preferablycomprises a substantially elongated rigid bar 13, such as made offiberglass or stainless steel or other strong material, that is formedwith a rectangular cross section, such as shown in FIG. 25, and extendedinto strips or bars having a predetermined elongated length. These bars13 are preferably relatively flat and narrow but also have sufficientwidth and thickness to provide adequate moment resistance to support theweight of participants who may traverse on the ride surface. Generallyspeaking, the width of each rigid bar 13 is preferably in the range offrom 10.0 mm to 100.0 mm, wherein the width of each one is preferablygreater than its depth. The depth is preferably thick enough to provideadequate moment resistance, which is dependent on the spacing of thesupports and the distance that the supports span.

Second, to provide adequate padding and cushioning on the ride surface,composite members 3 preferably comprise a layer of foam 15 adheredthereto, such as made of closed cell urethane, which is adhered to rigidbar 13 with an adhesive, such as urethane or other glue. As can be seenin FIG. 25, foam layer 15 is preferably adhered to rigid bar 13 and hasa sufficient depth or thickness to provide padding and cushioningsupport for participants who may traverse on the water ride, which helpsto reduce injuries, etc. The depth of foam layer 15 can be anywhere fromone to three times the depth of rigid bar 13, although the ratio ispreferably above two. Foam layer 15 is preferably substantiallyrectangular in cross section and the side facing rigid bar 13 ispreferably substantially flat to provide adequate adherence to rigid bar13. The combination of rigid bar 13 and foam layer 15 comprise compositemember 3.

Third, encapsulating the composite member 3 is preferably an outer layerof water impervious material 17, such as PVC or plastic, etc., which hasbeen heated and shrink wrapped around composite member 3. In thisrespect, FIG. 24 shows what outer layer 17 looks like before it has beenshrink wrapped, and FIG. 25 shows outer layer 17 after it has beenshrink wrapped. Surrounding composite member 3 with the outer layermaterial 17 helps to seal and protect the composite member 3 from waterdamage which can occur if the outer layer is torn or otherwise damaged.

A unique aspect of the present invention relates to how the encapsulatedcomposite members 3 are formed and how the monolithic sheet 1 iscreated, which is diagrammatically shown in FIGS. 6 through 21, andexplained as follows:

The first step involves the process of creating the composite members 3which is done by first forming the elongated rigid bars 13 which can bemade of fiberglass or stainless steel. These rigid bars 13 arepreferably elongated narrow bars having a substantially rectangularcross section and predetermined length to provide an adequate amount ofstrength and moment resistance which is dependent on the supportspacing, etc. The rigid bars 13 are preferably relatively narrow inwidth, such as anywhere from 10.0 mm to 100.0 mm wide, but sufficientlythick enough to support the weight of the water and participants ridingon the water ride.

The second step comprises gluing the rigid bars 13 onto a sheet of foam19, as shown in FIG. 6, using an adhesive such as urethane 21 that hasbeen spread across the sheet. Preferably, rigid bars 13 are positionedon the sheet of foam 19 adjacent to each other with little or no spacebetween them, wherein rigid bars 13 are pressed firmly against theadhesive and the adhesive is allowed to dry and harden, until rigid bars13 are bonded securely to the sheet of foam 19. To ensure full coverageby the foam, sheet 19 is preferably slightly larger than the totallength and width of the collective rigid bars 13. A completed sheet offoam 23 with the rigid bars 13 adhered thereto is shown in FIG. 7.Excess foam 20 is shown around the edges.

The third step comprises trimming the sheet of foam 19 and cutting offany excess foam 20 from the edges, i.e., anywhere beyond where rigidbars 13 are located. FIG. 8 shows sheet of foam 23 with the rigid bars13 adhered thereto, but with excess foam 20 removed. Preferably, a sharpblade such as a box cutter or knife is used to neatly cut the foam, byextending it along the edges at a 90 degree angle relative to thelongitudinal direction of the rigid bars 13.

The fourth step, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises using a sharp blade tocut the sheet of foam 19 to form composite members 3. This is done byinserting the sharp blade in between the rigid bars 13 and slicing thesheet of foam until each rigid bar 13 is separated from sheet 19 andeach other. Once the foam sheet 19 is cut, and composite members 3 areformed, each rigid bar 13 will have a layer of foam 15 adhered theretoon one side, wherein the foam 15 will have substantially the same widthand length as rigid bar 13. Again, as shown in FIG. 9A, it is desirableto insert the sharp blade in between the rigid bars 13 such as at a 90degree angle 22. Once cut, each composite member 3 shall comprise onerigid bar 3 on one side and a layer of foam 15 adhered thereto on theopposite side. A completed composite member 3 is shown in FIG. 10.

The fifth step comprises sliding each finished composite member 3, asshown in FIG. 10, into a water impervious tube or sleeve 24 such as madeof plastic or PVC. FIG. 11 shows composite member 3 partially covered,and FIG. 12 shows composite member 3 fully covered. At this point, tubeor sleeve 24 preferably covers rigid bar 13, but is preferably slightlylonger than composite member 3 so that a portion of it extends or hangsfrom its end to ensure full coverage and encapsulation of compositemember 3 and to account for linear shrinkage of tube or sleeve 24, etc.

The sixth step comprises passing the composite member 3 with the tube orsleeve 24 around it through an oven or other heated space 25 (in thedirection of arrow 26 as shown in FIG. 13), to melt or otherwise shrinktube or sleeve 24 around composite member 3 to effectively sealcomposite member 33 and form the encapsulated composite member 33, asshown in FIG. 14. Note that the encapsulated composite member 33 willhereafter be referred to as item number 33 whereas in the previousdiscussion composite member 3 was referred to as item 3. This is becausenow composite member 3 has been encapsulated by tube or sleeve 24 toform an encapsulated composite member 33, although ends 9 have not beentrimmed and cut and sealed and excess PVC or plastic is likely to behanging from each end.

The seventh step comprises securing the encapsulated composite members33 to support bars or battens 5, as shown in FIG. 15, to create a singlemonolithic sheet 1 of encapsulated composite members 33. Three supportbars 5 are shown although any number of support bars two and over can beused. The support bars 5 are preferably placed center to center (such as24″ apart from each other) to prevent composite members 33 fromdeflecting and the gaps from widening during operation. The connectionis preferably made using screws 7 that extend through support bars 5 andinto the rigid bar side of composite members 33. Preferably, two jigs 27with spaces 29, such as the one shown in FIG. 15A, are used as atemplate to help line up, orient and position encapsulated compositemembers 33 such that they are positioned properly and with the correctspacing, i.e., such that a predetermined gap 6 of about 8.0 mm isprovided between each composite member 33 and the composite members 33are extended substantially parallel to each other. To do this,encapsulated composite members 33 are preferably inserted into spaces 29on jig 27, wherein the width and center to center spacing of spaces 29are preferably predetermined based on the final desired spacing of gaps6 and positioning of composite members 33. Again, gap 6 betweencomposite members 33 is preferably about 8.0 mm, although notnecessarily so. FIG. 16 shows a partially completed monolithic sheet 1of encapsulated composite members 33 with three support bars 5 securedto the underside thereof and FIG. 16A is a detail view of an end A-Ashown in FIG. 16 of two composite members 33 within spaces 29 in jig 27,but with support bar 5 on the top (which is actually the bottom wheninstalled) of composite members 33.

As shown in FIG. 16A, it is important or at least preferred that ends ofsupport bar 5 extend outward a distance 31 from the last compositemember 33, wherein distance 31, as shown in FIG. 16A, is preferably halfthe distance of gap 6, such that when two sets of monolithic sheets 1are positioned together, i.e., side by side, the proper full gap 6 canbe provided between them. FIG. 17 shows partially completed monolithicsheet 1 lying upside down which allows support bars 5 to be securedperpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the composite members 33using screws 7. FIG. 18 shows screws 7 being progressively insertedthrough support bars 5 and into the rigid bar portion of encapsulatedcomposite members 33. Screws 7 are preferably made of stainless steeland are extended through openings or apertures formed in support bars 5,wherein the apertures are preferably slightly larger than the diameterof screws 7. Screws 7 are preferably tightened to compress support bar 5against composite member 33 to help seal the opening. Note that FIGS. 3and 4 show how encapsulated composite members 33 are attached to supportbar 5 wherein FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along section A-A in FIG.3 showing screws 7 extended through support bars 5 and into rigid bar13. Screws 7 are preferably tightened and alternatively provided with asealant to prevent leakage of water into composite member 33, such asthrough the openings that have been created by screws 7.

The eighth step comprises cutting or trimming each completedencapsulated composite member 33 to a predetermined length, whichachieves the purpose of cutting monolithic sheet 1 to its final lengthas shown in FIGS. 19 and 19A. This can be done by cutting eachencapsulated composite member 33 one by one, or by cutting the entireset of composite members 33 collectively such as by using a radial armsaw or cutting press, etc. This is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 19A.This not only cuts composite members 33 and monolithic sheet 1 to theproper length, but also enables any excess PVC or plastic 35 hangingfrom the ends 9 of each composite member 33 to be removed as well. Notethat the cut should be made at a 90 degree angle relative to themonolithic sheet 1 to ensure that each sheet 1 is formed properly. Theamount of excess material to be cut should be minimized to minimizewaste and cost. Each sheet 1 of composite members 33 can be anywherefrom one to six meters in length, and is preferably from eight to twelvefeet in length, although any length or width is possible, depending onthe size of the application and the distance of the support spacing,etc. They can also be adapted and fit into the desired shape, such as inthe shape of a drainage area of any existing or new water ridestructure, etc.

The ninth step comprises taking the monolithic sheet 1, as shown in FIG.20, and turning it on its end, i.e., vertically, and dipping the ends 9of each composite member 33 into a liquid sealant (in bath 37), to sealthe ends thereof. This is shown in FIGS. 21 and 21A. A possible sealantthat can be used is Plasti-dip-F906. Preferably, ends 9 are dippedsquare to the bath 37 and to a depth of at least 10.00 mm to ensureproper coverage. Alternatively, molded caps 11 can be provided andsecured to the ends and heat shrunk to seal the ends thereof.

For shipping, multiple completed monolithic sheets 1 are preferablypositioned vertically on their sides or ends, and not horizontally ontop of each other, as this can cause distortion and possible damage tothe foam portion of the composite members 33. FIGS. 22 and 23 show howmultiple monolithic sheets 1 can be positioned vertically on their sidesin a shipping crate 41.

FIGS. 26 and 27 show a water ride attraction such as the FlowRider®which has certain drainage areas on the front and back of the ridesurface, which is where the appropriate drainage systems are located. Inthis respect, each monolithic sheet 1 of composite members 33 can eitherbe prefabricated to fit over and cover the drainage areas, or they canbe cut in the field to cover specific areas. In either case, the sheetscan be modularized for easier installation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A drainage system for use in connection withwater rides comprising: multiple composite members wherein each memberhas a substantially rigid bar and a foam pad adhered thereto, whereinboth are encapsulated within a waterproof outer layer; wherein saidmultiple composite members are positioned longitudinally parallel toeach other and connected to at least two support bars, wherein apredetermined space is provided between each composite member to form asheet of composite members; and wherein each sheet of composite membersis cut to a predetermined length, and a sealant or shrink cap isprovided to seal each end of said composite members.
 2. The drainagesystem of claim 1, wherein each sheet of composite members is sized tofit over a drainage area of a water ride and installed on the water ridewith the foam padded side of said composite members facing up.
 3. Thedrainage system of claim 1, wherein each substantially rigid barcomprises a fiberglass or stainless steel bar wherein the compositemembers are produced by adhering a plurality of said fiberglass orstainless steel bars onto a sheet of foam using an adhesive and thencutting the foam in between the rigid bars, wherein each compositemember is then shrink wrapped with PVC or plastic material and aftersecuring said composite members to said support bars, each end of saidcomposite members are cut to a predetermined length.
 4. The drainagesystem of claim 3, wherein said composite members are sealed by dippingeach end into a liquid sealant which is allowed to dry and harden. 5.The drainage system of claim 3, wherein said support bars are connectedto said composite members using screws that extend through said supportbars and into the rigid bar portion of said composite members.
 6. Amethod of manufacturing sheets of composite members for use in waterrides comprising: forming multiple rigid bars and adhering said rigidbars to a sheet of foam; cutting the sheet of foam to separate saidrigid bars and form said composite members; covering each of saidcomposite members with a water impervious tube or sleeve and shrinkingsaid tube or sleeve to form encapsulated composite members; securingsaid encapsulated composite members to at least two support bars suchthat said encapsulated composite members are positioned substantiallyparallel to each other and with a predetermined gap between each one;trimming ends of said encapsulated composite members to remove excessmaterials and form sheets having a predetermined size and length; andsealing ends of said encapsulated composite members by dipping said endsinto a liquid sealant or providing a molded cap shrunk to seal saidends.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of forming multiplerigid bars comprises forming stainless steel or fiberglass bars having arectangular cross section.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step ofadhering said rigid bars to said sheet of foam comprises covering saidsheet of foam with an adhesive and adhering said rigid bars onto saidsheet of foam such that they are extended substantially parallel to eachother, side by side, with little or no space between each one.
 9. Themethod of claim 8, further comprising trimming or cutting excess foamfrom edges of said sheet of foam.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein themethod comprising using a sharp blade to cut the sheet of foam inbetween said rigid bars to form said encapsulated composite members. 11.The method of claim 10, wherein the step of covering said compositemembers with said tube or sleeve comprises sliding each of saidcomposite members into said tube or sleeve and extending said compositemembers with said tube or sleeve extended around them through an oven orother heat source to cause said tube or sleeve to shrink around saidcomposite members.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step ofconnecting said encapsulated composite members to said support barscomprises using a jig to position said composite members into the properposition and using screws extending through said support bars into saidcomposite members to form said sheets of composite members.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the step of sealing the ends of saidcomposite members comprises turning said sheets of composite members anddipping said ends into a bath comprising a liquid sealant that isallowed to dry to seal said ends.
 14. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising the step of positioning multiple sheets of composite memberssubstantially vertically side by side inside of a crate to preventdamage during shipping.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the sheetsof composite members are positioned on a ride surface to cover adrainage area of said water ride to provide a means for draining waterfrom said ride surface.
 16. A water ride having an inclined ride surfacefor injecting a sheet flow of water thereon and performing water sportsmaneuvers thereon comprising: a nozzle injection system for injecting asheet flow of water onto said ride surface, wherein said ride surfacehas at least one drainage area on the front or back thereof; a gratingsystem covering said drainage area wherein said grating system comprisesat least one sheet of multiple composite members wherein each compositemember is constructed with a substantially rigid bar and a foam layeradhered thereto, wherein both are encapsulated within a waterproof outerlayer; wherein said multiple composite members are positionedlongitudinally parallel to each other with a predetermined gap betweeneach one and are secured to at least two support bars to form said sheetof composite members; wherein each sheet of composite members is cut toa predetermined length and dipped into a liquid sealant or provided witha molded cap to seal ends of said composite members; and wherein saidsheet of composite members is formed or cut to fit onto and over saiddrainage area.
 17. The water ride of claim 17, wherein each sheet ofcomposite members is sized to be installed on the ride surface with thefoam pad side facing up.
 18. The water ride of claim 17, wherein saidsubstantially rigid bar is made of fiberglass or stainless steel andwherein each composite member is produced by adhering a plurality ofrigid bars onto a sheet of foam and then cutting the foam in between therigid bars to separate and form the composite members, and wherein eachcomposite member is formed by shrink wrapping PVC or other plasticmaterial with heat around each of said composite members.
 19. The waterride of claim 19, wherein said composite members are cut to apredetermined size and shape and said ends are sealed by dipping eachend into a liquid sealant which is allowed to dry or providing a moldedcap thereon.